


Misbehaving

by whitedandelions



Category: Shadowscapes Tarot
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, M/M, Multi, Wings, Yuletide Treat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-20
Updated: 2018-12-20
Packaged: 2019-09-23 17:40:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17084777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whitedandelions/pseuds/whitedandelions
Summary: The Emperor has more important things to do than deal with his two errant Swords, and he intends to let them know it.





	Misbehaving

**Author's Note:**

  * For [shadow_lover](https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadow_lover/gifts).



> happy yuletide! :)

Seven thinks it’s an excellent idea.  Nine doesn’t, but Nine doesn’t think most things are excellent ideas, so it doesn’t really matter what Nine thinks.

Nine is not very impressed with his logic, but he goes along anyway.   “We’re going to get in trouble,” Nine says underneath his breath, and Seven pretends he doesn’t hear it.

And yeah, they’re going to get in trouble.  That’s the point of it, after all.  The Emperor is far too busy with whatever he’s doing to give them any attention so that’s why Seven is going to steal away the apple of his eye, or whatever they say nowadays.  The emperor will be in a right panic when Nine’s kidnapped, and Seven can’t _wait_ for the chaos that’s going to stem from that.

* * *

Nine knows he shouldn’t go along with Seven.  He knows they’re both going to get punished, probably badly, but he can’t find it in himself to care.  Seven’s shenanigans are well known throughout the court after all, and he thinks their Emperor will be lenient once he finds them.

At least he hopes he will be.

Seven’s giggling to himself as he leads Nine through the forest, their hands interlocked as they take turn after turn.  His wings are outstretched and glorious, a sign that Seven’s having a great time.  In contrast, Nine keeps his wings closed, and he thinks it’s a good indicator that he really shouldn’t be putting up with Seven’s antics.

But Seven’s _smiling_ , even while he’s plotting, and Nine is far too enamored to really put up any protest.

* * *

The Emperor finds them.

He lands in the clearing they’ve camped out in, his wings outstretched and Nine winces because that means their Emperor is in a bad mood.

Seven doesn’t have any sense of preservation, because he seems ecstatic that the Emperor’s here, completely disregarding the fact that their Emperor is currently a _dragon_.

“Seven,” he starts, but he’s cut off when their Emperor transforms back, his face stormy.  His horns are still there, and he’s dressed in his customary red robes, and he looks regal even as he stalks over to them.

He gets to Nine first, and he reaches out with a hand to grip Nine’s chin tightly.  He turns his face this way and then the next, and Nine obliges, careful not to meet his Emperor’s eyes.

There’s a beat of silence, and then the Emperor lets go.  “Seven,” says the Emperor, and there’s no hint of emotion in his words, not one that Nine can pick out, and that’s more worrying than anything else Nine had heard.

“What is the meaning of this?” continues the Emperor, and his voice sounds dangerous.  Nine doesn’t dare look up though, and he’s glad he doesn’t, because by the tone of his voice Seven really isn’t scared at all.

“Nothing,” says Seven, trying to sound innocent but failing at it miserably, “We’re just getting some fresh air.”

“In the forest?” asks Emperor, and inconceivably, there’s amusement in his tone.  Nine looks up in wonder, because he’s seen the two of them interact more times than not, but it still surprises him each and every time he sees it.  Seven should be punished, but there’s a wry smile on the Emperor’s face and he wonders if Seven is going to get out of this unmarked.

Because the Emperor’s already reaching out, his hand touching the side of Seven’s face almost tenderly.  He shifts the mask Seven’s still wearing, and before Seven can say anything, rips it right off him.  Seven’s eyes are bright with mischief, and when the Emperor tilts his head up with fingers underneath his chin, he smirks.  “Are you going to punish me?” he asks cheekily, and the Emperor gives one long sigh before moving faster than he can see.

When Nine sees him again, the Emperor’s kissing Seven.  He’s not giving Seven any room to move back, his grip insistent and his mouth even more so, and when they finally break away, Seven’s eyes look dazed.

“Do you need to be punished?” he asks, after a moment, and Seven shivers at the dark tone in his Emperor’s voice.

Against all reasoning, Nine steps forward.  He likes Seven and doesn’t want him to be punished.  “I’m okay,” he says, and then reaches out to touch the Emperor’s shoulder.  The Emperor turns to face him, and he looks pensive as he stares at Nine, his gaze searching. 

“You shouldn’t go along with him,” scolds the Emperor, but that’s the last of what he says before he pulls Nine into a kiss of his own.  Nine all but melts into it, into the Emperor’s overpowering strength with his magic literally pouring into him and making him submit.  He’s only still standing because the Emperor’s holding him, his knees already buckling under the oppressive strength.  When the Emperor finally lets him go, he wonders if his eyes are just as glazed as Seven’s.

“So,” said the Emperor, after another long moment had passed, “Are the two of you going to tell me what this was all about?  I do have duties, you know.”

Nine feels a bout of shame at the idea they had caused their Emperor trouble, but Seven just crosses his arms and fixes him with a glare.

“You haven’t been giving us much attention,” says Seven, and the Emperor’s mouth thins into a line at Seven’s words.

“That’s what happens when I’m dealing with the aftermath of a _war_.”

Seven sighs, and gets closer to the Emperor, at least as close as he can what with how much shorter he is.  “I know,” he says, quietly, “And you’re doing great.  But Nine needs attention.”

“Nine?” asks the Emperor, his eyebrows raised, “Not you?”

“I always do,” says Seven, sounding dismissive, “But Nine especially.  Right?”  He turns to face Nine, an expectant look on his face.

And Nine’s a little thrown, because he hadn’t thought Seven had noticed.  Seven’s not in the castle often, not with how many times the Emperor sends him out as his Thief, and Nine had been doing his best on his own.  Their Emperor is busy, especially recently, and Nine felt _lonely_.  He hadn’t wanted to burden the Emperor with his feelings though, not with how stressed the Emperor already was, and well, it only got worse when days went by without the Emperor and him getting to spend any time together.  Coupled with the fact that Nine hadn’t had any missions to do on his own – well, it had only spiraled even further down.  He hadn’t known what to do with himself during daytimes, and had even overheard the servants gossiping about him.  Sometimes, he felt as if he was just an accessory to the Emperor, a beautiful caged angel just waiting for the Emperor’s attention.

That was until Seven had come home, took one look at his face, and had whisked him off into the forest in a version of a mock kidnapping.  He had thought it was Seven up to his usual antics, but no, Seven was –

“I’m sorry,” the Emperor says, interrupting him out of his thoughts, and he lets out a little gasp when the Emperor pulls him closer.  He’s surprised when the Emperor starts threading his fingers into his wings, ungtangling the feathers he can’t get to on his own.  His wings are sensitive, and it feels amazing to be treated so tenderly, enough so that he doesn’t mind when the Emperor sits down and brings him into his lap.  He’s so focused on the fingers going through his wings, that he closes his eyes and is subsequently surprised when Seven reaches out and starts to untangle them too.

He feels so loved with the both of them slowly treasuring his wings, and he almost dozes off as he is.  He struggles to stay awake, blearily trying to open his eyes, but when he does, he sees the Emperor looking at him kindly.

“Go to sleep,” his Emperor implores, and then leans down and presses a kiss to his forehead.  He doesn’t want to disobey his Emperor, and he is awfully sleepy, but he wants to – he reaches out and it seems like Seven understands because the other Sword takes his hand into his.  That’s enough, and he lets himself go, dozing off to the feeling of his sensitive wings being taken care of.

* * *

Seven watches Nine drift off to sleep, unable to keep the tender smile off his face.  When he looks up again, the Emperor is watching him with amusement, and he scowls.  “Stop looking at me like that,” he says, and then snatches the mask back from the Emperor.  He doesn’t look like he minds, and when Seven looks up again, mask comfortably back on, the Emperor is outright smiling.

“You should really take care of him better when I’m out,” Seven says, uncharitably, and the Emperor takes his other hand, the one that Nine isn’t holding, and pulls him close too, close enough that they’re pressed up against each other. 

“It’s better when you’re here,” he says, simply. 

“Of course it is,” he says, but doesn’t say anything else because well, it’s not the Emperor’s fault he’s needed out there.  Well, the Emperor _could_ not send him, but then where would that leave them?

But it’s enough, right now, with the three of them in the forest without any watchful eyes, taking care of their precious Nine.

 


End file.
